According to Le Chatelier's principle, what happens to equilibrium position if reactant concentration increases?

Study for the IB Chemistry SL Exam. Improve with flashcards and multiple choice questions, with hints and explanations for each question. Prepare effectively for your exam!

According to Le Chatelier's principle, when a stress is applied to a system at equilibrium, the system adjusts to counteract that stress. In the context of increasing the concentration of reactants, the system will respond by shifting the equilibrium position to relieve that stress.

As the concentration of reactants increases, the reaction will favor the forward direction—that is, the formation of products. This shift to the right occurs because the system is attempting to consume the added reactant, thereby restoring balance by producing more products. This dynamic adjustment ensures that the ratio of reactants to products re-establishes equilibrium, but at a higher concentration of products.

This principle is fundamental to understanding dynamic equilibrium in chemistry and highlights how systems respond to changes in their environment. Thus, an increase in reactant concentration leads to a shift in the equilibrium position to favor the formation of products, confirming that the correct answer addresses this relationship effectively.

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